Bikes

The Carbide SL is the ultimate cross country weapon.

Over three years in development, the Carbide SL is the ultimate in lightweight, stiffness and pedalling efficiency. At a scant 4.4 pound frame weight with DT Swiss carbon shock, it's one of the lightest XC full suspension bikes on the market, and certainly the stiffest. The Carbide SL can be hammered through anything an XC rider or racer could throw at it.

Saddle up boys, saddle up.

Features

• 90mm rear travel.
• 4.4 pound/2000 gram frame weight with DT Swiss shock, large size
• Optimized carbon fiber front triangle, individual lay ups for each size.
• High modulus carbon fiber with aluminum dropouts.
• Integrated aluminum chain suck protector.
• Low stand over height with plenty of seat post adjustability.
• Only three sets of bearings means easy service.
• Accepts dual water bottles on all but the small frame.
• Available in small, medium, large and extra large.

Spec

Geometry

Technology

The Background
Let's face it, the buzz on carbon has every bike company out there diving into weaves and resins at an alarming rate. The result is a plethora of poorly though out, designed and executed carbon full suspension bikes. Some may be light, but lack the stiffness. Some may be stiff, but lack the lightness. It seems no one got the formula right…until now. Introducing the Carbide SL, the ultimate in lightweight and stiffness.

It's no real mystery why weight is a critical element of a bicycle, but stiffness is often a far secondary consideration. It's really unfortunate, because it translates into greater rider control, improved durability (a stiff package means the bearings aren't being side loaded) and better suspension action. Being stiff also gives the Carbide SL versatility. Bikes that are overly flexy may be good enough for a two hour XC race, but can't really handle a rough XC ride. Our goal with the SL was to make a bike that was stout enough for real punishment.

But stiffness and lightweight don't just come easy. It took three years to develop the SL, and in the end, it's a masterpiece of hand construction. Additional layers of carbon on the bottom of the down tube and top tube work to distribute loads evenly, stiffening layers on tube sides (when they have the greatest effect in bending) reduction lateral flex, box section top, down and seat tubes to counter lateral bending and rounded tube-sides counteract torsional loading and specific lay-ups for each size. These are just a few of the reasons for the winning combination.

And that's just the front triangle, the rear triangle is the area that typically sees the majority of flex. The Carbide SL features an all new carbon swingarm. By design alone, the fully triangulated swingarm, attached to the front triangle with a compact hollow-forged link, provides a high level of stiffness. But with focused use of high modulus carbon fiber, we were able to maximize the stiffness without adding any extra weight.

Setup Guide - Suspension Setup
For a handy graph of our suggested suspension setup, please click here:

The best way you can maximize the performance of your bicycle is by ensuring correct rear shock sag. To set sag, push the O-ring completely forward on your rear shock (towards the shock seal). Now sit on the bike in a normal riding position near a wall to steady yourself. (Note: If you use a hydration pack, make sure you also have this on. You want your "ride weight" to be as close as it is when you normally ride.) Without bouncing on the saddle or pedals, distribute your weight on the saddle and pedals in a normal riding position while holding the handlebars. Push the O-ring back up towards the shock seal and gently get off (to avoid moving the O-ring)

Recommended Sag Applications
Cross Country (Automatic/Carbide) 25-30% of total shock travel in sag, This should be 9.5mm and 11.5mm between the O-ring and shock seal on the Carbide and 12.5mm to 15mm on the Automatic.

Trail (Snyper/Vanish): 25-35% of total shock travel in sag. This should be 14mm and 20mm between the O-ring and shock seal on the Snyper and 16mm to 22mm on the Vanish.

Spring Adjustment-Air Shocks
To install air pressure in the main air spring, remove the air cap from the Schrader valve located above the large air spring canister. Attach the pump to the Schrader valve. The hiss you hear when unscrewing the pump is only the air left in the pump itself and not from the shock. This does not affect your pressure setting in the shock. Likewise, when you install the pump, the shock will fill the pump and reduces the registered pressure previously installed in the shock. This usually is a 10-15 psi difference between what was in the shock and what the pump is reading. This is all normal procedure when adjusting the air spring pressure. After removing the pump, be sure to reinstall the Schrader valve cap.

Rebound Damping Adjustment
The rebound damping controls the return rate of the shock after it has been compressed to absorb a bump. Rebound damping can be adjusted for different spring rates, terrain, and rider preferences. Rebound on shocks can be adjusted by the red knob on Fox shock and the blue knob on Manitou shocks, which is located on the shaft eyelet mount on coil shocks and the air canister eyelet mount on air shocks. As a general rule, rebound that is adjusted too fast will exhibit a springy ride that has excessive pedaling movement and kick up the rear end on multiple bumps and big hits. Rebound that is adjusted too slow will exhibit a packing of the rear wheel that is identified by a low ride height, stiff feeling on multiple bumps and the rear wheel drifting to one side on stutter (braking) bumps. A good rebound starting point is to set the shock to achieve a return movement that is just short of "snapping back".

FAQ

Which Bike is Right for Me?
We love bikes and would love to hear from you, so if thereÂ’s even a question about which bike is right for you, please contact us via e- mail or phone so we can talk bikes.

Why is the Carbide 90mm of Travel?
The CarbideÂ’s 90mm of travel allows you maximum versatility. If you want to race the Carbide, and like the snappy, quick feel of a race XC bike, you can install an 80mm travel fork. This puts your head tube/seat angle at the traditional NORBA race geometry of 71/73 respectively. If you just want the Carbide for all around XC riding, we recommend a 100mm travel fork. This gives you a longer travel feel to the bike of course, but it also slackens the head angle to 70.5 degrees for slightly more relaxed handling.

Why Use a Flex Stay?
The benefit to using a flex stay, and thus eliminating the pivot and bearing, is a dramatic increase in rear end stiffness. When you put a pivot and bearing at the rear wheel, you are just putting a flex point (the pivot) out at the end of a big lever arm (the swing arm). When you eliminate this flex point, and use a short shock link (like the new Tomacs have), you create a very stiff, fully-triangulated rear end. This means excellent steering when cornering and maximum power output when pedaling.

Why a Carbon fiber Flex Stay?
Carbon fiber is a great material in this application because it has an infinite fatigue life for flexing. Secondly, there is very little movement above the rear axle (3 degrees on the Carbide), so putting a pivot and bearing there is somewhat overkill. Also, using the carbon fiber instead of aluminum and a bearing is a much lighter set up. The downside is expense! The carbon fiber flex stay itself is 20 times the cost of a standard bearing/aluminum seat stay setup.

Why the Short Shock Link?
The reason for the low, forward link-mount is that it allows you to make the front triangle very tight and thus increase front-end stiffness; the longer the link, the longer the lever arm and the greater reduction in stiffness.

Why Use An Internal Headset on the Carbide?
The Carbide frames all use internal headsets. The advantage to an internal headset is that the headset cups and bearings recess into the frame and thus allow you to lower the bars as much as possible. Certainly with an XC bike, this is important because you want the bars lower (versus a longer travel bike) for improved positioning for climbing. There is already an FSA internal headset included with your frame.

Why is the Front Derailleur Mounted on the Swing arm?
There are two reasons the front derailleur is mounted on the swing arm, the first of which is shifting accuracy. WeÂ’ve have had a lot of success with long-term shifting crispness with this setup. Second, putting the front derailleur on the swing arm allowed us to make a more compact front triangle and integrate the lower link mount into the front triangle. This improves front end stiffness and eliminates redundancy of parts.

Why do most Tomacs have full Derailleur Housing to the Front Derailleur?
Simply put, we want to keep the muck away from the front derailleur cable so shifting remains precise over the long haul. There is no better way to do this than enclosing the cable completely, especially in grimy areas like under the down tube.

Can I Get a New Derailleur Hanger?
The derailleur hanger is made out of 7075 aircraft grade aluminum, and is mounted with stainless steel bolts, should it should be more stout than most derailleur hangers. Should a mishap cause damage to it, simply contact the reseller in your country to purchase another one.

What is the seat post size?
30.9 on all Tomac bikes.

What if My Bike Creaks?
Sometimes after repetitive washings or extensive riding in the elements, the main pivot and link bolts will become dry and can cause creaking. Simple removing, cleaning, relubricating and reinstalling the bolts will eliminate any creaking. If creaking continues, you may need to replace the bearings. Remember to inspect the frame for any damage before each ride.

Where Do You Test the Bikes?
In the winter, we spend the majority of our test time at South Mountain outside of Phoenix. In the summer months, we test near Salida, Colorado. Between seasons, we ride at Platte River State Park about an hour from Omaha, Nebraska.

Why and How Did You Choose the Spec on the Complete Bikes?
When we set out to spec the complete bikes, we wanted to accomplish three major goals. 1) Use all high quality parts from brand name manufacturers including complete wheel sets, folding bead John Tomac Signature Kenda tires, FSA headsets, Thomson stems, etc) We didnÂ’t want to have cheap hidden parts on the frames. In the bike industry, itÂ’s common to spec low end stuff in places when you wouldnÂ’t easily see it (for example the cassette and bottom bracket). 3) We wanted to use parts that we had ridden and knew would provide high performance and high durability.

WhatÂ’s the Service Life on the Bearings?
The service life of the bearings is determined by the amount and conditions that you ride in. That said, we focused extensively on maximizing bearing life. Not only did we use full compliment bearings throughout, but we made sure that all the bearing surfaces are tucked away from contaminants like dirt and grit. Lastly, the design of the frame inherently puts little stress on the bearings themselves. Keeping them clean and under minimal load means longer service intervals on the bearings.

How Can I Tell If I Need New Bearings?
Remove the rear wheel and the rear shock from the frame. Cycle the bike through its travel by pulling up and down on the rear end. Do you notice any grittiness or binding? Put your hand over all of the pivots and move the rear end again. Does it seem notchy? If so, you will need to contact the authorized Tomac retailer in your country. Go to www.tomac.com for more information.

Who is the Greatest Mountain Biker of All Time?
John Tomac, of course! No single rider has been more competitive in all disciplines of our sport, including XC, Dual Slalom and DH. A former World Champion, National Champion in both XC and DH, and one of the icons of our sports, thereÂ’s no denying John TomacÂ’s impact on mountain biking.

How Involved in Johnny with Tomac?
Johnny is still heavily involved with the company. Not only does participate in the R&D and ride testing of all the bikes, but Johnny the businessman also helps determine the strategic direction of the company.
I CanÂ’t Find the Answer to My Question
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Owners Manual

Click here for the owners manual PDF file.

Warranty

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